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AN 



ANALYSIS 



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CHAS. U. SHEPARD, M. D., 

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Professor of Chemistry, Medical College, State of South-Carolina. 




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CHARLESTON: 

PRINTED BY MILLER & BROWNE, 
No. 4 Broad-street, 

1844. 



At a meeting of the Agricultural Society of Winyaw and All- 
Saints, in Georgetown District, in November, 1843, it was pro- 
posed, that an Analysis be made of the Grain, Straw, Chaff, &c. 
of Rice. This was agreed to, and the task committed to Professor 
C. U. Shepard, of the Medical College of the State of South- 
Carolina. The following analysis is the result of his chemical 
investigations, and was handed to Col. Allston, the Chairman of 
the Committee appointed, to carry the proposition into effect. 

Charleston, S. C, April 6th, 1844. 
Dear Sir, 

I hasten to lay before you at the earliest moment in my power, 
the Report on Rice, concerning which I have had communications 
with yourself and Dr. Parker. I hope it may not disappoint the 
expectation already formed of the work by yourself, or the Society 
for which it has been executed. 

The task has greatly exceeded in difficulty, the estimate I 
formed respecting it at the outset ; it having occupied me most 
closely in my Laboratory for at least three weeks. The results 
given in the report are generally deduced from the averages of 
repeated analyses. 

If the Society publishes my report, I should feel obliged if a 
copy would be forwarded to the Hon. Mr. Ellsworth, of the 
Patent Office, Washington, whom I have led to expect such a 
favor. 

And I have the honor to remain, 

, Most respectfully, your obedient servant, 

CHAS. UPHAM SHEPARD. 
Hon. R. F. W. Allston. 



CHEMICAL EXAMINATIONS 

OF THE 

RICE PLANT AND RICE SOIL IN SOUTH-CAROLINA. 

BY 

CHABLES UPHAM SHEPARD. 



1.— Of Clean Commercial Rice. 

Burned in a porcelain capsule under the muffle, until all com- 
bustible matter had disappeared, a blebby glass-like ash remained 
| weighing 0.404 per cent., or less than half a part in one hundred 
of the rice consumed.* Corrected statement of mineral constitu- 
] ents of clean rice =0.487 per cent. 

Composition of 100 parts of this residuum. 
Phosphate of lime (bone-earth,) with decided \ «~ 2q 

traces of intermixed phosphate of magnesia, J 
Phosphate of potassa, nearly 5 per cent., 
Silica, sometimes as high as 20 per cent., 
And the following salts in traces only. They 
are enumerated in the supposed order of their 
abundance, viz: r ^.° 

Sulphate of potassa, 
| Chloride of potassium, 

Carbonate of lime, 
Carbonate of magnesia, 

* It being requisite to determine the inorganic ingredients of rice, and of the vari- 
ous parts of the entire plant, as it may reasonably be supposed, they are returned to 
the soil again on the decomposition of the plant and its parts, (whether taking place 
spontaneously or otherwise,) and not to give those ingredients in all cas : ? as they are 
actually yielded to us in the process of destructive analysis, I shall subjoin many of 
the constituents of the ashy residua not as found, but rather as the principles of che- 
mistry authorise us to deduce them, in accordance with the above requisition. 






2.— Of the Cotyledon. 

Commonly called the eye or chit of the grain. 
Ignited under a muffle on a porcelain plate, it burns with a 
bright light, and the ash flows into a glass. From the intimate 
way in which it adhered to the plate, it was impossible to deter- 
mine its weight or even its composition in a satisfactory manner. 
The expression 6.824 per cent.; however, may be taken as an 
approximation to the weight of the residuum. In composition, 
it appears scarcely to differ from the ash of clean rice, except in 
being somewhat richer in lime, and in the phosphoric and sulphu- 
ric acids. 

3.— Of tbe fine Rice Flour. 

As it comes down on the bulk. 
It gives on burning, a bulky, porous ash, weighing 10.746 per 
cent., of the flour consumed. Corrected as above = 12.30 per ct. 

Composition of 100 parts of this residuum, as follows: 
Silica, with traces of combined potassa, - - 38.02 

Phosphate of lime, with traces of phosphate of magnesia, 54.60 
Phosphate of potassa, (rich in this salt,) 
Sulphate of potassa, 

Sulphate of lime, in traces, ^ and loss, 

Chloride of calcium, " 
Chloride of potassium, " 
Lime and magnesia, " 

100 00 
4.— Of coarse Rice Flour. 

From the bulk. 
It gives on burning, a bulky, porous ash= 11.23 per cent. Cor- 
rected statement = 11.831 per cent. 

Composition of 100 parts of this residuum, as follows : 
Silica, with traces of combined potassa, - - 69.27 

Phosphate of lime, with traces of phosphate of magnesia, 28.94 
A* 



► and loss, 6.79 



6 

Phosphate of potassa, (rich in this salt,) "] 

Carbonate of potass, in traces, 

Sulphate of potassa " 

Lime and magnesia, " 

Chloride of calcium, " 

Chloride of potassium, " 3 

100.00 
5,— Of the Husk. 

Commonly called chaff, or offal. 
Burns with little or no flame, into a "perfectly white, silicious 
skeleton of the husk. In weight, it equals 13.67 per cent. 
Composition of '100 \ parts of this residuum, as follows : 
Silica, - - - ■ .- - - 97.551 

Phosphate of lime, with traces of alumina and oxides ) - 02 „ 

of iron, and manganese, S 
Carbonate of lime, - _ - 0.294 

Phosphate of potassa, ~) 

Sulphate of potassa, in traces, I 

Chloride of potassium, « | and loSS > U32 

Carbonate of potassa, " \ _ 

100.000 
6.— Of the Rice Straw. 
Burns into an ash which is a semi-fused, glassy frit. It weighs 
12.422 per cent. 

Composition in 100 parts, as follows: 
Silica, - - - . - m . S4.75 

Potassa, with probable traces of soda, combined with > 

the above silica, ) 
Phosphate of lime, with traces of oxide of iron (and i 

m 



8.69 



2.00 



manganese 

Carbonate of lime, - - - -. 2.00 

Alumina, in traces, 
Phosphate of potassa, 

Carbonate of potassa, ^ and loss, 

Sulphate of potassa, 
Chloride of potassium, 







7 — Rice Soil from Waveiiy Island. 

Silica, with fine sand, one-third of which is feldspathec 
and slightly magnesian or talcose ; and contains alu- 
mina with from 2 to 4 per cent, of potassa, mingled 
with soda and magnesia, 

Alumina, partly combined with humic acid, 

Peroxide of iron (combined with humus,) with decided * 
traces of phosphate of lime, (bone-earth,) ) 

Carbonate of lime, with traces of magnesia, 

Water of absorption, 8.50 ) 

Humus, (organic matter,) 23.50 i 

Chloride of calcium, ") 

Sulphate of lime, 

Sulphate of magnesia, ? and loss, 

Sulphate of potassa, 

Chloride of sodium, J 



> 47.75 

12.35 
4.15 
0.40 

32.00 

- 1.35 
100.00 



8.-— Rice Soil from Woodville, Main, Waverly. 



Silica, with fine sand, as above, - 
Alumina, partly combined with humic acid, 
Peroxide of iron (combined with humus,) with decided ) 
traces of phosphate of lime, J 
Carbonate of lime, - 

Carbonate of magnesia, - 
Water of absorption, 
Humus, 

Chloride of calcium, 
Sulphate of lime, 
Sulphate of magnesia, 
Sulphate of potassa, 
Chloride of sodium, 



7.50 > 
17.80 ) 



> and loss, 



57.50 
10.45 

4.60 

0.40 
0.58 

25.30 



1.17 



100.00 



8 

9,—- Rice Soil from Matauzas on the main. 

Silica, with fine sand, as above, - 60.50 

Alumina, partly combined with humic acid, - - 8.15 

Peroxide of iron (combined with humus,) with decided \ 
traces of phosphate of lime, ) 
Carbonate of lime, with traces of magnesia, - - 0.85 

Water of absorption, 9.00 \ 

Humus, - - 18.50/ " 27 ' 50 

Chlorides of calcium and of sodium, 
Sulphates nearly as above, 



Sulphate of lime, 
Sulphate of magnesia, 
Sulphate of potassa, 



3.00 



J-" and loss, - 1.00 



101.00 
10.— Rice Soil from Dr. Parker. 

Silica, with fine sand, as above, ... 41.25 

Alumina, (combined with humus,) - 9.25 

Peroxide of iron, (combined with humus,) - - 3.30 

Phosphate of lime, - - - - - 0.55 

Carbonate of lime, ----- 0.85 

Carbonate of magnesia, - - - 0.45 

Water of absorption, 9.50 \ 

Humus, (with odor of ammonia,) 33.50 J 
Chloride of calcium, abundant, "j 
Chloride of sodium, 



43.00 



and loss, - 1.35 



100.00 
Additional particulars, with some consequences from the foregoing. 
[1.] 100 parts by weight of rough rice, (from which the remains 
of stems and glume-leaflets had been separated,) gave 
82,10 parts of grain, and 
17.90 " husk. 



100.00 



9 

[2.] 100 parts of unhusked grain, gave 

95.238 parts of non-cotyledonous grain, and 
4.762 " cotyledons, or eyes. 

100.000 
[3.] 100 parts of non-cotyledonous unhusked grain, gave 

94.3 of grain without husk, cotyledon or epidermis, 
5.7 of epidermis, or inner coat. 



100.00 
[4.] 100 parts of rough rice, then has 
17.900 husk. 
3.909 cotyledon. 
4.456 epidermis. 
73.735 clean grain. 



100.000 

[5.] The ratio of rough-rice to the straw of the harvested grain, 
deduced from taking the mean of 15 separate experiments, gave 
the weight of the grain 53.5, that of the straw, including the 
panicle or stems, 23.6. 

But as many of the leaves appear to have been mutilated, I am 
disposed to assume as a probable approximation to the truth, the 
weight of the grain as just double that of the cut-straw. And as 
some observation of the stubble and roots strongly favors the idea 
of their equalling together the weight of the straw, I shall still 
farther venture to consider the rough-rice of a ripe, harvested plant 
as equal in weight, that of the entire stem, leaves and root. 

[6.] Let us next attempt an approximation towards an appreci- 
ation of the mineral constituents of these different portions of the 
rice plant. 

* From losses sustained to the clean grain, in the process of milling, it is not pro- 
bable that above 70 parts of commercial rice are afforded by 100 of rough-rice. 



10 

The ash in 100 parts of rough-rice equals 4.762 parts. And as 
^he ash in 100 of the husk, equals 13.67, that in 17.90 parts of husk 
must equal 2.446 parts. By difference, therefore, between 2.446 
and 4.762, the ash of the cotyledon, epidermis and clean grain, in 
100 parts of rough-rice, will equal 2.316 "parts. 

But the percentage of the ash in clean rice being known, we are 
able to state what the amount of ash is. In clean rice of 100 parts 
rough-rice, it is 0.297 parts. The general statement, then, will 
stand thus, for 100 parts rough-rice. 

Ash in the husk, 2.446 parts. 

" cotyledon and epidermis, 2.019 " 
" clean grain, 0.297 " 

4.762 
[7.] The straw (including the stubble and root,) having been 
assumed as equal in weight to the rough grain, the ratio of the 
mineral ingredients of the former to the latter, stands as 12.422 to 
4.762. 

[8.] Considering a single rice^plant, in its dry, mature state, to 
weigh 100 grains, (a supposition which will often accord with the 
fact,) we shall have of mineral matter in the different parts of the 
plants, the following number of grains : 

In the stubble and root, 36.08 

" straw and pan leaves, 36.08 

" husk, 14.20 

" cotyledon and epidermis, 11.70 

" clean rice, 1.94 



100.00 
As however in the milling, nearly one-sixth of the cotyledon 
still adheres to the grain, for all practical estimates; it will be near- 
er the truth to state the mineral ingredients of clean rice at 2 per 
cent, those of the whole crop, and to diminish therefore, the resi- 
duum of the cotyledon and epidermis by 0.06 per cent., making 
the per centage statement to stand thus : 



11 



Stubble and root, 


36.08 


Straw and leaves, 


36.08 


Husk, 


14.20 


Cotyledon and epidermis, 


11.64 


Clean rice, (commercial) 


2.00 



100.00* 
[9.] If the foregoing views are correct, it becomes plain, at a 
glance, that the planter who sells his crop in the condition of rough 
rice, robs his lands of 27.84 per cent, of the mineral ingredients of 
this species of produce ; while on the other hand, he who sells it 
as clean rice, substracts from them but 2 per cent, of these ingre- 
dients. 

But the true value of these constituents cannot be rightly esti- 
mated by their numerical proportions, since the mineral ingredi- 
ents of the cotyledon and epidermis consist of above 50 per cent, 
of the most precious saline substances, while in those of the stub- 
ble, root and husk, the like constituents scarcely rise to 10 per ct. 

[10.] From the extreme slowness with which the husk suffers 
conversion into humus, unless fermented with stable litter, this 
portion of the rice-plant appears to be almost wholly neglected by 
the planter. But as it contains above 30 per cent, of carbon, it 
must be capable, when incorporated with the soil, of performing 
to a considerable extent the functions of humus, i. e. of gradually 
giving rise to carbonic acid from combining with the oxygen of 
the air, and of raising the temperature of the soil by its eremacau- 

* It may be useful to present here, also, a per centum view of the incombustible 
constituents of the rough-rice. 

Husk, - - - 51.00 

Cotyledon and epidermis, 41.81 

Clean rice, - - - 7.19 

It scarcely need to be stated, that the cotyledon and epidermis are found in the 
coarse rice flour, intermingled largely with the husk, and with from 3 to 4 per cent, 
of powdered clean rice. The cotyledon and the epidermis are richer than the clean 
rice in saccharine matter and gluten, which materially augment the value of rice flour 
as a feed for cattle and swine. These principles are thus returned to the soil under 
the most favorable conditions for agriculture. 



12 * 

sis, or slow combustion. Besides, its minutely divided silica, is 
in a more favorable condition for absorption by the rootlets of 
plants, than that which is offered to them by the soil itself. We 
may add to these supposed useful properties of the husk, the me- 
chanical service which in certain stiff, compact lands it is capable 
of exerting, by keeping the ground open to the access of air, and 
as an absorbent of moisture. As it is unlike to the stalk and leaf, 
in not containing alkali, it might perhaps be found advantageous 
to add wood-ashes along with it to the soils on which it is applied. 

The extraordinary results, so fully proven of late, to flow from 
the use of minutely divided charcoal, would perhaps authorise 
another mode of treating the rice offal, which is to burn it with a 
smothered combustion in small kilns, or in heaps partly covered 
with soil, whereby it might be converted into a species of char- 
coal. I should anticipate from such a preparation of the husk, 
whether applied alone, or previously mixed up with putrescent 
matters into a compost, the most marked effects.* 

I conclude this report with the hope, that this inquiry, which is 
by no means supposed to have exhausted the subject, or to have 
reached that rigid accuracy of result, which it is to be hoped may 
one day be obtained, may afford the rice planter more valid rea- 
sons than he before had, for husbanding those mineral elements 
of his crop with a religious care, the neglect of which, with what- 
ever apparent impunity it may at first be attended, cannot fail in 
the end to involve him in a hopeless struggle against nature. 

C. U. SHEPARD. 

Charleston, April 6th, 1844. 

* I need scarcely to add, that the different composition of the stem and leaves of 
the rice, would scarcely justify a similar procedure with these parts of the plant, 
since unless the temperature be regulated with great care, the silica would form with 
the associated alkali, a true glass, which for agricultural purposes, would be nearly aa 
inoperative as common sand. 









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